We are very happy about the interest of students in our project, because ATELIER aims to support education by providing a learning environment and study cases. A good example are our new interns Beatriz (Bea) Herrero Badorrey and Lucas Porto, both from Madrid. They study for MSc. degree in Environmental and Resource Management at the University of Southern Denmark. They have started an internship at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, a partner in ATELIER. Why?
Bea: “ The idea of the Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) called my attention from the first moment, as it paves the way for the cities of the future to be sustainable. This road towards sustainability requires that people from different backgrounds collaborate to achieve the common goal. The economic, social, technical and environmental aspects need to be considered for a successful transition.“. Lucas adds: “ I come from a pure scientific background, having studied a bachelor’s in physics in Madrid. However, I felt a disconnection with what was studied. A direct application to the real world was necessary for my personal and professional development.” A direct link with Spain also exists: Lucas: “ ATELIER will demonstrate Positive Energy Districts in Amsterdam and in the Spanish city of Bilbao. Being of Spanish origin myself, I am proud of such a partnership between two of the leading sustainable cities .”
Their internship topic is the energy system modelling of the Amsterdam Positive Energy District demonstration in Buiksloterham. Bea explains: “One of the technical innovations of Amsterdam’s PED that I find more promising is the concept of vehicle2grid. A fleet of shared e-cars will be available for neighbours of the district. This will not only contribute to decarbonise the mobility sector, but also help to balance the grid, as the e-cars serve as storage for the electricity generated by the PV panels in periods when supply is higher than demand.”. Lucas and Bea will even teach a module on energy system analysis for the ongoing Minor at the faculty during the internship.
In addition, Lucas notes that his interest in ATELIER goes beyond the technical work: “I would like understand how a complex project as ATELIER is conceived, prepared and brought to life. The step from theoretical planning to actual implementation is an important step forward in the development of sustainable solutions.” Final, when asked whether the Corona restrictions are a problem, they reply: “Not really. We can go to the office one or twice a week and meet the colleagues. And fortunately we have a nice place in Amsterdam to work from home”. We assume that staying in Amsterdam is obviously a big plus also……
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